Rasa Vilčinskaitė
Embroiderer
Elektrėnai, Lithuania
Unmasking the inner self
- Bead embroidery gives Rasa both freedom and a voice
- The central theme of her work is the acceptance of otherness
- Rather than breaking tradition, she gives it a new voice
Rasa Vilčinskaitė creates fantastical, bead embroidered headpieces that adorn the head and cover the face like masks. "My creations are not a way to hide my identity, but rather a way to reveal myself and be who I truly am," she says. "I translate an inner world into a tangible visual language through traditional craftsmanship." Rasa discovered bead embroidery while studying painting at the Vilnius Academy of Arts and immersed herself completely in this technique, which has become her creative practice's primary voice. Her work draws on and reflects traditional techniques, yet she transforms each piece from a simple object into a full medium. "What matters most to me is how themes, states or inner emotions get expressed through my work," Rasa explains.
INTERVIEW
Embroidery offers endless possibilities. I am fascinated by the complexity and diversity of textures, forms and colours. Through this craft, I am able to express myself freely. My introverted inner world attains a vivid, powerful and visual voice.
My practice reinterprets and transforms traditional crafts, their histories and techniques. In my work, they are not static, they shift, transform and take on new forms. I use traditional techniques as a system of inner expression through which I redefine what the technique itself can mean.
I am proudest of when my work began receiving strong responses from young creators and members of the queer community. At that stage, my practice, once a deeply personal process of exposure, began to function for others as a form of support and a safe space.
At the core of my artistic values is unmasking myself to become who I truly am. I aim to communicate a message of tolerance, acceptance of differences and the freedom to be oneself. An existential question runs through my pieces: how negative experiences, pain and suppressed emotions transform into optimistic, living art.
Rasa Vilčinskaitė
Embroiderer
Elektrėnai, Lithuania
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Elektrėnai, Lithuania
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Lithuanian, English
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